Protective Gear Running Low, LA's Coronavirus Death Toll Mounts

LOS ANGELES, CA — In just two days, coronavirus cases in Los Angeles grew by more than 1,000, and nearly two dozen more people died from the COVID-19 disease. And while the health department's daily coronavirus briefings have become a dismal exercise, health officials are desperately trying to hammer home the importance of staying home to keep the death toll from skyrocketing.

Even as the outbreak grows, California's shutdowns appear to be saving lives as the growth rate of new infections is lower than in other parts of the country. According to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, there are an additional 513 coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing the county's total to 3,518. The county also confirmed 11 more coronavirus deaths since Tuesday, bringing LA's death toll to 65.

“Every day reporting these numbers is devastating,” Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledged Wednesday. “I know it’s more devastating for the family and friends who have experienced this tremendous loss.”

Health officials worry that with the onset of warm weather will induce millions of people growing tired of living in housebound limbo to flaunt "stay at home" orders. If that happens, the state will quickly run out of hospital beds for the patients most in need, according to health experts.

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According to the Los Angeles Times, California has 7,200 ICU beds and 70,000 beds hospital beds. That amounts to one ICU bed for every 5,500 residents, according to the Times.

In the meantime, the shortage of protective gear that the community clinics on the frontlines of the pandemic has grown increasingly severe.

Jim Mangia, chief executive of the St. John’s Well Child and Family Center, which operates clinics across the region, told the newspaper his clinics would soon run out of masks and protective gear.

“By the end of this week, we will have run out of protective gear,” Mangia told the Times. “We still don’t have the tests that we need in order to contain the spread and isolate our patients....We’re essentially doing makeshift front-line work."

He joined the chorus of doctors and nurses nationwide calling on the federal government to mandate the production of protective gear. It's a call the Trump administration largely resisted for weeks even as it sent tons of medical masks and protective gear in aid to foreign countries, according to Politico.com. Backlash prompted the federal coronavirus task force to halt the aid shipments temporarily.

At the same time, federal officials have yet to direct U.S. companies to stop exporting millions of masks to foreign countries as the American medical system grapples with a dire shortage. Roughly 280 million masks in the U.S. were purchased by foreign buyers on Monday alone, Forbes reported.

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There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Follow CDC's recommendations for using a facemask.
  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
  • Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.